The UK market

In 2015, domestic camping and caravan trips increased by 8% compared to the same period in 2014, with nights up 10% and spend 7% (source: GBTS)

In 2015, UK residents took 13.5m holiday trips camping and caravanning, spending £2.2bn during their trips (source: GBTS). By contrast, they made 11.4m holiday trips to Spain, 6.2m to France, 2.5m to Italy and 2.1m to Portugal (source: IPS)

Of the 13.5m trips, 46% were spent in static caravans, 28% in touring caravans or motorhomes and 26% camping

In 2015, some 58m holiday bed nights were spent in caravans, tents and motorhomes by GB residents. The accommodation category receives more 24% more nights than hotel/motel, 38% more than rented self-catering and 398% more than guest house/bed and breakfast (Source: GBTS)

In 2015, average trip length was 4.3 nights and average spend per trip £165 per person for domestic camping and caravanning breaks (source: GBTS)

At least 17% of holiday parks and campsites are open all the year round (source: Pitchup.com)

The European market

Overall 360m nights were spent camping or caravanning by EU residents in 2013, of which the UK accounted for 65m, France 94m and Germany 71m (source Eurostat)

There were 598m days spent camping by Americans in 2013 (source: Outdoor Industry Association)

The 'staycation'...

57% of British residents' holiday trips took place domestically in 2015, compared to 53% in 2008 (source: VisitEngland)

The number of foreign holidays taken by UK residents was 7% lower in 2015 than in 2008 (source: IPS)

UK registrations of new motorhomes rose by 10.6% in the 2015 season (September 2014 - June 2015), with motor caravans rising 22.3% (source: European Caravan Federation)

A permanent shift?

There are signs that a more permanent shift in attitudes is occurring, with almost half the population (and 70% of staycationers) expecting that beyond 2010 they will take more holidays in the UK than they have in the past (source: VisitEngland)

Other trends

90% of

stayca/oners expect to take at least one England break in 2010 – the 2009 experience has improved

opinions of holidaying at home for many, and le them keen to discover more, though this may mean

taking shorter breaks rather than a longer holiday.

The con/nued impact of the recessionmeans that some will have to take domes/c breaks again in 2010 for

financial reasons, but there are signs that a more permanent shi in a1tudes is star/ng to happen, with

almost half the popula/on (and 70% of stayca/oners) expec/ng that beyond 2010 they will take more

Greater willingness to book online

Online booking is available at only 28% of camping and caravan sites, compared to 79% of hotels and 36% of guest houses and B&Bs (source: VisitEngland)

In 2010 Center Parcs reported that over 70% of its bookings are made online

Celebrities and quirky camping

At £9,600 for two for a four-night stay, Britain's most expensive campsite is believed to be Camp Kerala in Shepton Mallet, near Glastonbury. The cost includes interstage festival tickets and Winnebago access, food and concierge (it's £900 extra for an ensuite toilet, and visitors pay extra for drinks, spa treatment...and helicopter transport)

A three-bedroom caravan at Abersoch, North Wales - complete with underfloor heating and a luxury Italian kitchen - was sold for £550,000 to a millionaire couple in December 2010

Richard Hammond of Top Gear fame has published a book – a Short History of Caravans – and has destroyed 56 caravans during his time on the show

Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes have taken camping holidays both as a family this year and previously before the birth of their daughter Suri

Designers including Ted Baker and Cath Kidston have created stylish tents ranges. Many campsites now offer tipis, wigwams and yurts (Mongolian-style domed tents)

UK TV programmes have increased the interest in UK camping and caravanning holidays including Coast, Rick Stein’s Food Heroes, BBC 4 Documentary Caravans – A British Love Affair and Julia Bradbury’s Railway Walks. The Caravan Channel is available four days a week from 7pm on Sky 166 and Freesat 406

The Kabes Royal Tower at 4.5m is the tallest caravan you can buy, with two storeys and a balcony